Sugar (sucrose) is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in every fruit and vegetable. Most of the sugar in the world comes from two sources: Sugar cane and beets, as it is easily extracted from both and both contain large quantities of sucrose. 99.95% sucrose in fact.

The .05% difference is due in part to the fact that sugar cane and beets are different plants with different chemical makeups grown in different environments.

Sugar cane is a tropical grass that grows abundantly in warm, moist and tropical climates and can reach 10-20 feet in height. Four U.S. states produce sugar cane: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana and Texas. Sugar beets are grown as an underground root crop in temperate climates.

Sugar cane is harvested by chopping off the stems or canes while leaving the roots so that the plant can grow again, making it a highly stainable crop. Sugar beets are planted every year.

Pure cane sugar is non-GMO. Imperial Sugar does not use genetically modified plants in any of our pure cane sugar products. Beet sugar can be derived from genetically modified plants. The U.S. does not require labels to designate whether the sugar is derived from sugar cane or beets. If you are concerned about avoiding beet sugar, be sure to look for "Pure Cane Sugar" on the package.